Bear River Mercantile proudly sits in L’sitkuk/Bear River, within the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. We hold immense respect for Mi’kmaq custodians and elders, and gratitude for their invaluable stewardship of this land. L’sitkuk, meaning flowing along high rocks, is home to the Bear River, a tidal river fed by the Bay of Fundy, with a tide that rises and falls approximately thirteen feet twice daily. Our historic center, known as the village on stilts, includes buildings supported by poles sunk into the riverbed. The Bear River divides our community, placing it in both Annapolis and Digby counties. Operating without a municipal government, our community relies on the contributions of residents’ time and energy. We take pride in the absence of tech-hubs, fast food, malls or chain stores, and in being home to more artists percapita than anywhere else in Nova Scotia.

We do not provide bags and we recommend you bring your re-usable one. It’s unlikely that your cell phone will work. Our river valley is so deep that we do not have reliable cell service.

We feature creators who use new technologies or revive old ones. Our shelves are filled with work by recent graduates and from factories established before Canada's confederation. Much of our inventory is made with local materials, which we believe makes them truly special.

Yes! Our wares and pantry items are made in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, the unceded territories of the Mi'kmaq, Naskapi, Beothuk and Nunatsiavut peoples, collectively known as the Atlantic region.

We make it a priority to understand the production processes of our wares, only offering products in which we firmly believe. Our main priority is to offer homewares that are built to last—products that we hope your great-grandchildren will still be able to use. Our pantry items are the tastiest we've found, and they are likely grown and processed by the same people.

Absolutely! We prioritize cruelty-free, compostable, or zero-waste products made from sustainable sources whenever possible. We actively seek ways to reduce packaging. Sustainability is a top priority for us, so when we say BYOB, we mean bring your own bag.